Deutsche expands debt team in Asia

Deutsche Bank has appointed Raj Jit Wallia as managing director for its Asia debt capital markets franchise. The appointment comes as companies in the region are in increasing need of financing to support their rapid growth, which makes it a good time for the bank to expand its business, it says.

Prior to taking up this newly created position, Wallia was in charge of ING's Central and Eastern European leverage finance business in London.

At Deutsche, Wallia will focus on originating, structuring and executing all non-investment grade and high-yield capital markets transactions, which encompasses a range of fixed-income products.

Based in Singapore, he will report to Michael Luk, DeutscheÆs managing director and head of Asia fixed-income capital markets.

"Raj Jit brings a broad range of emerging markets debt experience across various stages of corporate development and the private equity life cycle. He will be an important addition to our debt capital markets franchise at a time of rapid growth," says Luk, in a written statement.

So far in 2007 Deutsche is ranked number one in the league tables for G3 debt, having executed 20 deals for a value of $4.7 billion across seven countries in Asia, according to Dealogic. The bankÆs DCM franchise in the region was awarded 2006 Bond House/Debt House of the Year by FinanceAsia.